Engaging the Culture. Impacting our Future.

Archive for February 2012

Last Saturday I witnessed an inspiring event at Scottsdale Bible Church. Hundreds of families came together to learn about adopting waiting kids from foster care.

Right now, there are more than 350 kids in the Arizona foster care system waiting for adoptive families and thousands more in need of safe and loving temporary foster homes. The stories shared about these orphans waiting for “forever families” were heart-wrenching, yet filled with hope and promise.

Several times we heard the phrase, “No child is ‘unadoptable.’ We just haven’t found the right family yet.”

One speaker asked the crowd, “How many of you are adopted?” A smattering of hands went up. Then, he read Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:3-10 emphasizing verse 5, “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, …”

Again, he asked, “How many of you are adopted?” We all raised our hands.

Another speaker shared passionately about the need, boldly asking the crowd, “Do you have what it takes? Is God calling you?” After a brief moment of silence, a voice from the crowd spontaneously shouted the words, “I am!” and the whole place exploded in applause.

Last Saturday, 144 families started the process by getting their fingerprints done (see picture).

As we saw the line for fingerprints grow and stretch out the door, a mom of 9 (as she puts it “4 bio and 5 adopted”) leaned toward me with tears in her eyes and whispered, “Wow, what a blessing … this is so huge.”

If you want to know more about what you can do to support adoptive families or about becoming an adoptive family, check out Christian Family Care at www.connectonenow.org/adoption.

The Mother’s Health and Safety Act, HB 2838, was heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee last week.

One of the most powerful moments came when Representative Justin Pierce shared the story of his brother’s family, and how despite pressure from doctors, they chose life and now have a beautiful 3 year old son.

CAP-supported pro-life legislation needs YOUR help this week!
The Mothers’ Health and Safety Act, HB 2838, sponsored by Representative Kimberly Yee will be heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday. This bill:

Prohibits abortion after 20 weeks because of the safety risks to the mother and the pain endured by the preborn child

Ensures women have an ultrasound at least 24 hours prior to an abortion.

Establishes an informed consent website which details the facts about fetal development, risks of abortion, and services available.

Requires doctors performing surgical abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within thirty miles of the abortion facility.

Informs women about perinatal hospice and other support options available in the event their child is diagnosed in utero with a disability.

CAP-supported legislation to end backdoor funding of abortion (HB 2800) will also be heard in the House Health Committee on Wednesday.
As a part of their “Women are Watching” campaign, Planned Parenthood and their abortion supporters are contacting legislators to oppose pro-life legislation.
Pro-life legislators need to hear from you! While the Legislature is composed of a two-thirds pro-life majority, they still need to hear the encouragement from you to vote pro-life!
ACTION NEEDED:

1. Click here to contact your state representatives and senator to encourage them to stand strong for life! Thank them for their commitment to life, if applicable. If you’re not sure how your legislator has voted on pro-life legislation in the past, check out last year’s voting records here.

2. Join CAP at a press conference outside the Glendale Planned Parenthood at 11:30 a.m. and outside the Tucson Planned Parenthood at 3:00 p.m. this Thursday! Along with the Susan B. Anthony List, CAP will be a part of a press conference in support of legislation to end backdoor public funding of abortion (HB 2800).

3. Pray for this and other CAP-supported legislation. Without the Lord, victory is impossible.

4. Track the progress of all CAP-supported legislation on our Bill Tracker and Facebook Page.
Arizona has made immense progress recently to protect women and the preborn. Let’s keep the momentum going by showing our support for life this week!

The drama surrounding the Komen Foundation’s announcement they would cut off funding to Planned Parenthood continues to develop, even as I write this.

On Tuesday, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which works to cure breast cancer, announced a change in their policies that would exclude any organization under congressional investigation from receiving funding. This decision meant that Planned Parenthood, which is currently under investigation by the House Oversight and Investigation Committee, would no longer receive hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from Komen.

While some on the pro-abortion side have hailed this as a victory claiming they have forced Komen to reverse their position, others are saying not-so-fast. Komen’s statement is not necessarily changing any of their original positions. Supposedly, if Planned Parenthood is found guilty of any of the charges in the Congressional investigation, they will not fund the abortion giant.

My message to Komen is “fish or cut bait.” Komen has a clear right course of action – deny Planned Parenthood funding because they are not in the business of saving lives, but destroying them.

Planned Parenthood has activated their base and is in full attack mode. We need to send a positive message to the Komen Foundation and pray they have courage and boldness during this time.